Bella Note
by iloveromance
Summary: After Caroline and Del break up, they both arrive at Remo's in the hopes of spending their romantic dates with someone new. But their amorous evening has different results than they anticipated. An AU version of the pilot episode that includes references to the Walt Disney movie "Lady and the Tramp."


_**A/N: I couldn't help noticing on the CITC board that it is severely lacking Caroline/Del stories and even though I see that the prominent coupling is Caroline/Richard (which I have written several of!), I have always thought that Caroline and Del were cute together even though we didn't see them as a couple much. **_

Caroline Duffy walked into Remo's Italian Restaurant feeling more beautiful than ever before. With her hair swept atop her head and her velour black short-sleeved dress, how could she not? She was certain that her date would be breathless when he saw her. He'd be arriving any minute and then she'd show her ex-boyfriend Del just how attainable she was. Just because they'd broken up didn't mean that she had to stop worrying about her appearance. If anything it motivated her even more.

At the familiar pinging sound she looked up just in time to see him walk through the door and say something to Remo, while the manager scanned the list of reservations. And seconds later he was smiling. Of course Del's reservation went off without a hitch. Things always worked out for him!

But her own reservation was a complete disaster, leaving Remo to think that there must have been some mistake. Del and Caroline couldn't have possibly made two separate reservations! Apparently Remo just assumed that she and Del would be together forever. The thought almost made her laugh. How wrong that turned out to be.

And then to her dismay, Remo brought Del a bottle of wine, on the house! Oh why did she have to come here of all places after scrounging around for a date? She couldn't tell anyone that she'd picked up the guy off the street, they'd think she was a…

She cringed, not even wanting to think about it. Who else but her best friend Annie Spadaro would persuade her to land a date simply by pelting him with fruit from her second floor apartment window? Annie, who seemed to have a different guy for every day of the month. Caroline definitely didn't need a calendar with Annie around.

Now Caroline sat alone at the corner table (a table for two) and she'd never felt more alone. She checked her watch for the tenth time since she'd arrived. Where in the hell was this guy, anyway? He was supposed to be here long before now!

No matter what was about to transpire, she had no one to blame but herself. What was she thinking getting so insanely jealous when Del announced that he had date-mere hours after breaking up?

He was sitting down now at a table for two, talking to a beautiful woman across the candlelight. She certainly was gorgeous, with her backless dress and curvy hips. No wonder Del couldn't take his eyes off of her. But to Caroline's surprise the woman stayed but for a minute, saying something in passing before leaving him alone again.

Now he was probably waiting for his real date, who was probably in the bathroom and most likely even more gorgeous than the woman in the backless dress. Suddenly, Caroline had the craziest urge to excuse herself to the empty chair beside her and casually stroll across the restaurant to the women's bathroom, just to check the woman out. What would it hurt? The witch would never know anyway. It was a stupid idea, but the suspense of this woman's identity was killing her!

But why should she care who Del went out with? He was free to go out with whomever he wanted. They weren't a couple anymore.

She sighed, staring at him for a moment. Wearing a grey suit, and dark tie, a wisp of his thick dark hair fell over his eyes, and the rest fell onto his collar. His hair was so soft and it smelled so good, like mint and musk. Suddenly she had another crazy urge, to run her fingers through it. To kiss his lips, feel his arms around her and-

"Caroline?"

She gasped in surprise when she looked up and saw Remo watching her. "Oh, hey Remo!"

"You order food, no?"

"No." she replied as his eyebrows rose. "I-I mean yes! M-my date's not here yet and so-."

It was then that she realized just how hungry she was. In fact, she was starving.

"Oh, what the heck? I'll order the spaghetti and meatballs." She said without ever glancing at the menu. And of course Remo noticed. He noticed everything, like the way she and Del had made separate reservations.

"No chicken Parmesan?" Remo asked. "But it's your favorite!"

She swallowed hard, fighting back tears. "Spaghetti and meatballs, please."

"Very well. And what about-."

She looked over at the empty chair next to her. "My date? Oh, well he said he'd meet me here so he's probably just tied up in traffic or… something."

Remo only smiled. "Very well. I bring your food right away and some special wine."

"Great." She said feigning a smile. And it was with great relief that she watched him leave.

True to his word, he returned with a bottle of wine and a basket of bread. While she munched on the bread and consumed her second glass of wine in as many minutes, she couldn't bring herself to look at Del. But she could hear him loud and clear. He was having the time of his life with a woman who was more beautiful, more successful and more voluptuous than Caroline would ever be.

"Your food, Caroline."

She looked away, brushing the tears from her cheeks as Remo sat the large plate of steaming hot spaghetti and meatballs in front of her.

"Thanks, Remo."

And then she proceeded to humiliate herself even further by eating her meal alone. She should have known that the jerk from the sidewalk wouldn't show up. He was probably married or didn't want to be bothered with her or-

She was certain that at that moment she'd accomplished something g that no one else had done; eaten almost an entire palate of spaghetti and meatballs alone while crying her eyes out. It had to be a record somewhere. It just had-

"Caroline?"

Her head rose and she found herself looking at her ex-boyfriend. If ever there was a more humiliating moment, Caroline knew that it couldn't possibly exist.

"Del, what are you doing here?" She asked, feigning innocence.

He looked around as though embarrassed. "Oh, well, my date and I were just-."

"Right… your date. I'd almost forgotten." She lied. "It's been so long since I've seen you with anyone else."

He was unfazed by her attack on his pride and smiled at her. "Looks like a nice spread you've got here, Caroline. Plate of spaghetti and meatballs, candlelight… Wow!

What are you trying to do, recreate the famous scene from Lady and the Tramp? You know, I haven't seen that movie since I was a kid, but -."

"Go away, Del!"

Again he was unfazed by her abruptness. "It was a joke, Caroline! It was-." He stopped suddenly when she began to sob into her cloth napkin and she hardly noticed when he sat down next to her. The familiar feeling of his hand on her back was comforting but it wasn't enough to ease her pain.

"Hey, hey… what's wrong?" he asked in that quite, soft way that she loved so much. Damn, now she felt worse.

"I'm sorry Del!" She sobbed. "I'm so sorry I lied to you!"

"Lied to me? About what?"

"My date! When you said that you had a date, I… I said that I had one too. And then I had to find one, quickly, so that I wouldn't look like a fool tonight, but… well, here I am all alone. Looks like he stood me up!"

"That jackass!"

'"What's wrong with me, Del?" She cried. "Am I fat? Unattractive? What is it?" She was crying hysterically now, garnering the attention of everyone in the restaurant, but she no longer cared. She just wanted to pay her bill and leave. And when Del move closer and gathered her into his arms, it made everything that much harder to take.

"This isn't your fault, Caroline. It's mine. I'm the jerk."

She raised her head and looked at him, his handsome face blurred by her tears. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, first of all, there's nothing wrong with you." He said quietly. "You're beautiful, sweet, talented and you have one hell of a body. And if this guy can't see that, then he's not worth your time."

Impulsively she grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him toward her, kissing him. It was like a dream come true. She was kissing Del Cassidy, the man she loved but swore that she'd never kiss again. She was on the verge of giving into her desires when he drew back, breathless.

"Oh God… what have I done? I'm sorry, Del. Your date…"

"Actually, Caroline… There's something I need to confess."

"What? What is it?"

"I didn't really have a date. I-I came here, alone. The truth is that I couldn't stand the thought of being without you, so I-."

She started to cry again and leaned against his chest. "Really?"

"Yes. I love you, Caroline."

They kissed passionately, bringing applause among the restaurant patrons.

"Ah, Senior Del and Senorita Caroline have found true amore at last!" Remo exclaimed when he saw the reunited couple sitting together. "You must be starving!"

Caroline swallowed hard, suddenly embarrassed by the empty plate in front of her. What was she thinking, consuming enough food for an army by herself? "I'm sorry, Del, I-."

"I bring two piping hot plates of spaghetti, on the house, all right?"

Del looked at Caroline and smiled. "Actually Remo, one plate will be just fine. But make sure it has lots of spaghetti and one giant meatball, okay?"

Remo looked at the couple in shock. "Only one plate? But how can you possibly enjoy a romantic meal if only one of you is eating?"

The couple laughed, making the restaurant manager even more confused until Del finally explained. "Remo, have you ever seen _Lady and the Tramp_?"

THE END


End file.
